Paper drinking cup and method of making same



E. W. LABOMBARDIE PAPER DRINKING CUP AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 14, 1921 Q. CL b 5 c 2 2 0 F/.J.

a, a. 7 2 Z BY S ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED STATES nun w. nan'om'sannn, or nasnua nnw nanrsnmn.

runn'nnmirma c'u'r' AND mn'rnon or Maxine sun.

Application flled Aprll M, 1921. Ber-taint. 461,213.

To all whom it mag camera:

Be it known that I, Em W. LABOMBARDE, a citizen of the United States, and resident oiNashua. in the count of Hillsborough and State of New Hamps ire, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Paper Drinkin Cups and ethods of Making the Same, which the following is especification.

For some years there has been an inereasin demand for, and use of, aper cups w ich are mostl of two kin s or types, either those WlllCll are permanently till dill

of tumbler shape, or those which are normally flat and so constructed that they can be 0 ened like a bag for use. Advantages of t e latter over the former are that the tumbler-shaped cups are relatively expensive to make and occupy much more space for storage or in dispensers. Some people prefer the tumbler-she (1 on s on the ground that they are easier to ill and drink from and are more readily handled when filling and drinking.

The resent invention relates to the flat type 0 paper drinking cup and the object of the invention is to provide such cups which can be readily opened for filling and can be easily held and manipulated during use.

To this end the invention consists in the cup and in the method of making the same, substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a (plan new of a blank which, when folded an pasted, forms a cup made according to my invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a completed cup ready for use.

Figure 3 is a top view of a cup illustrating the partly open condition which its structure causes it to tend to assume.

Figure a is a similar top view illustrating how'the ping of the cup for use causes it to uite lull open.

in t e manu acture of my improved cups,

aper of sufliciently water-proof character 18 cut to term blanks of substantially the shape shown in Figure 1. Each blank is then cred on five parallel longitudinal lines indie at 1, 2, 2, 3, 3, so as to form areas or sections a, a, and b b, and marginal flaps 0, 0. These parallel lines are not all equidistant. The sections I) b are of slihtly less width than the sections a, a.

formation of the lines by creasing partially breaks or dis-arranges the fibers of the paper. It is important that the three, lines 1, 2, 2, shall be formed by a creasing operation applied on the same side or surface of the paper-that surface which constitutes the inside of the cup when; completed.

,The next operation is to fold the blank on the lines 2, 2 toward the condition illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, and bring the faces of the flaps 0 0 together and adhesively connect the said flaps near their outer edges only, leaving those portions of the flaps ad: ja'cent to the lines 3, 3, unconnected, as shown in Figure 3. The reason for this will he presently explained.

The bottom portion 0! of the blank is then folded on transverse line-4 and adhesively secured to close the bottom of the cup. The top portion e of the blank may be left projecting but preferably I fold it in on transverse ine 5.

Uwin to the crease line 1 being formed asstate by action on that surface of the paper which constitutes the inside of the cup when completed, the said cup has a normal I tendency to spring partly open as shown in Figure 3. This opening of the cup is then increased by the action of the fingers of the user who, upon grasping the flaps c c which present a handle, naturally pinches those flaps. As stated, the sections 6, b, are of less width than the sections a, a, and the flaps a, 0-, are not glued together over their entire width. This leaves a slight space which is indicated at at in Figure 3.

The pinching action of the 'users fingers tends to close the space w and in so doing the sections 6, b are drawn together and the consequent pull of the edges of the cup toward each other forces the sectionsa, a, outward toward the relative positions shown in Figure 4. in other words, the lateral contraction of the wall from which the edge flaps c c extend causes the other well to separate therefrom, said other wall flexing or bending outwardly on its crease line 1.

By reference to Figure 2 it will be seen that the folding and gluing of the bottom portion d results in overlapping the lower ends of the flaps c a and holding said lower ends interlocked with the bottom of the cup. This facilitates the steadying of the cup when the he s c c are used as a fin or handle, both when t e cup is being filled and when itis tilted while drinking from it. Morelld over it strengthens and stiffens the cup as a whole.

The completed cup presents a front wall a and a rear wall I) b. The rear wall is of less width than the front wall and its flaps 0 a present means for drawing the sections of the rear wall toward each other so as to ex and the cup for fillin it.

aving now descri my claim 1. A vertically elongated waterproof flexible cup norma ly flat, com rising a blank having opposite parallel e ges secured together face to face and presenting an elongated flexible handle normally flat against a side of the cup extendingl from the upper to the lower portion of t e cup to steady said cup in use.

2. A vertically elongated waterproof flexible cup normal y flat and having a flexible handle comprising integral parallel marginal portions of the material of the cup invention, I

secured together face to face and extending from the upper portion of the cup sufiiciently far down the side thereof to steady the cup in use.

3. A flat paper cup comprising a blank 4. A flat aper cup comprising a blank havin para lel edges folded on lines paral lel wit said ed s, one marginal portion be ing laid back at against a side of the cup and the opposite marginal portion being secured thereupon, the two marginal portions combined forming an elongated handle.

5. A flat paper cup havi a folded bottom and having an integral andle portion permanently interlocked with said folded bottom.

6. A flat paper cup comprising a folded blank having 1ts marginal portions secured together face to face, the lower ends of said marginal portions being secured to the bottom of the cup.

7. A flat paper cup having a front wall with an inwardly turned upper portion forming a double-thick lip, and a. rearwall composed of two sections with outwardly turned flaps secured together face to face, the front wall, including its double-thick upper lip portion being vertically creased.

In testimony whereo I have aifixed my signature.

ELIE W. LABOMBARDE.

Witnesses:

Gm. H. Porrnn, KATHRINE Goes. 

